Scene 1 – Returning Home
Isa arrives home after the outing at the square.
Her grandmother is sitting in the armchair, knitting.
Grandma:
— "You're home early, my flower. How was the meeting?"
Isa (hesitant):
— "It was… good. They laughed. I even… laughed too."
Her grandmother opens a warm smile.
Grandma:
— "See? You can have fun. You don't have to be afraid all the time."
Isa sits on the floor, near her grandmother's feet, and opens her notebook to draw.
---
Scene 2 – Isa's Room
Later, Isa locks herself in her room.
The room is simple, with shelves full of books and stacked notebooks.
In the corner, a wooden box with a lock.
She opens it, revealing old letters and photos from her childhood.
Among them, a crumpled letter with cruel words—a reminder of the bullying she suffered years ago.
Isa touches the paper gently.
Isa (thinking):
— "Maybe that's why it's so hard to speak…"
She puts it back, closes the box, and takes a deep breath.
---
Scene 3 – Flashback
A quick flashback:
Young Isa surrounded by classmates mocking her quiet voice and the way she speaks.
She tries to respond, but the words don't come out.
The laughter of others echoes.
Back in the present, Isa closes her eyes, feeling the weight of that memory.
---
Scene 4 – Message on the Phone
Her phone vibrates.
In the group chat, Rafaela sends a photo of their improvised soccer team drawing from the square.
Rafaela:
— "Behold the masterpiece of our disastrous soccer game 😂"
Diego:
— "Just needed to put Claws with a whistle in his mouth."
Mateus:
— "That wasn't art, that was defamation."
Lucas:
— "But it was fun. Next meet-up is already scheduled."
Isa reads everything in silence… then, after a few seconds, she types:
Isa:
— "Thanks for today. It was special."
She hesitates before sending, then presses "send."
The group goes silent for a few seconds, until replies start coming in:
Rafaela:
— 😍😍😍
Lucas:
— "I'm glad you enjoyed it!"
Diego:
— "Who would've thought… Isa's starting to like it."
Mateus:
— "At least you didn't kick sand in anyone's face."
Isa smiles to herself, hugging the phone to her chest.
---
Final Scene
Lying in bed, Isa looks at the ceiling and thinks:
"Maybe… I'm ready to speak more. And to be heard."
As night falls, her expression is calm—different from the girl who only hid in the classroom.
End of Chapter 8.